Empire of Nefka
The Empire of Nefka, Jewel of the Feywilds, Wardens of the Nightmares, Keepers of Cosmic Order, Regents of the Heavens, Masters of All the Feywilds. Ostentatious, urban, pious, prestigious, cosmopolitan, professional, pretentious. You can call them many things, but you forget them at your own peril.
Once this empire held the Southern Feywilds in practice, and it was not uncommon to hear political gossip that their unification of the Feywilds was inevitable. The past century of crusades have reduced them to a shadow of their former glory. Now it is a rump state entirely devoted to supporting the largest city in the Feywilds: the glorious capital of Nefka. But the Empire refuses to drop its claims of power- and many whisper that they are again ascendant in the Feywilds. It seems to be a law of Feywilds- no matter how many times Nefka burns, it rises again with enough time. It can never be truly replaced- the Vault of Nightmares forever marks the capital as a holy city, attracting pilgrims and warriors. The Royal Sigil of the Crowned Black Wolf still strikes fear into the villages of No Man's Land, and the warriors of Nefka are better trained, equipped, and coordinated than any other Feywild kingdom.
The last time Nefka's empire rose, the priests of Kidon were marched in chains into the Vault of Nightmares in a triumphant parade. When the Black Wolf awakens, the wise man hides.
Structure
The Emperor/Empress of Nefka rules absolutely, advised by Clans Moot and War Council. The Clans Moot is an assembly of representatives by the Six Great Clans, and serves as an advisory council. The Clans Moot also de-facto runs the Temple of Temples, the religious authority of Nefka. The War Council are the 3-5 most prestigious war chiefs- recommended by the clans and war parties, but selected by the monarch- that run the military. Trade is run by The Violet Company , a monopolistic corporation that serves as an extension of Nefka's power abroad. The Dream Clans serve as the administration for the Cats of Nefka.
On the death of the monarch, the Enetara- the royal clan- elects a new monarch from among their ranks. This is typically the appointed Imperial Regent, but not necessarily.
History
The history of the empire is essentially the history of the city of Nefka- the raw power of the city makes the empire a virtual city-state. The current Empire is technically the Second Empire of Nefka, the first having been destroyed in 1080 by a tribal rebellion. Some historians argue that it is technically the Third Empire- with the second having been the plutocratic regime of 1080-1120- but that is a minority opinion.
What matters is that the current dynasty pins its claims to power on the infamous Enivar the Nightmare Warden. Formerly a bastard child of a minor clan with ties to the Northern mountains, Enivar began his career as a pilgrim and holy warrior that came to Nefka seeking to make a life for himself. According to the Imperial Cult and Nefkan folk legend, his father was secretly Okva the Black Wolf, Emperor of the Wolves and powerful shapeshifting magician. The legend goes that Okva watched over his prodigy in secret until Enivar swore an oath at the Temple of Temples to protect the people of Nefka from fear and despair. Okva came to Enivar in his dreams, urged him to battle his fears in the Vault, and slipped a ring of power into Enivar's pocket while he slept. The ring gave Enivar what he needed to survive the Vault alone- a truly rare feat- and realize his potential as a demigod. When Enivar emerged from the temple haloed in black flame, the decadent clans refused to recognize his divinity except for six wise and pious families. When the two false kings bickered in court over baubles, Enivar and his six families marched in and demanded they cease embarrassing the kingdom with their cowardice. When they sent guards to arrest him, he bested them all and the kings fled with such terror that they flung themselves off the palace ramparts, falling to their deaths. The Black Wolf himself then arrived as a gigantic spectral wolf and presented the two broken crowns to Enivar. In his hands, the crowns mended together and the people demanded he be their king.
Little is known of what truly happened, but Enivar was a master tactician, leader, and paladin who survived the Vault of Nightmares alone. After seizing the throne in 1412, Enivar campaigned throughout the South to secure his powerbase until 1415. From 1415 to 1420, he led large unified campaigns and enacted legal reforms to bring the empire together- and in 1420, he officially crowned himself Emperor of Nefka. Enivar's reign was unusually long, lasting until he was slain in battle fighting Crusading forces in 1520.
Following Enivar's death, the empire oscillated in stability, but ultimately dominated the region until the Battle of Kegrin Hill in 1790, when Desmian crusaders routed Nefka's main army near Odala. Divisions among the war council following the defeat allowed Desmian crusaders to capitalize on their victory and set up an opening for an invasion. Minor expeditions from 1795 to 1850 probed Nefka's defenses, before traitorous tribes invited in Crusading forces in 1850. The 1850-1862 Invasion of Nefka was a brutal guerrilla war, where Desmian crusaders reached the gates of the capital valley twice. While Desmians never took Nefka City and were driven out entirely by 1862, the empire was plummeted into civil war as tribes accused one another of treason and imperial authority plummeted. The non-stop war of 1790-1890 led to a sea of debt and internal discontent. In 1890, Nefka withdrew inwards, abandoning tribe after tribe to its own devices. By 1900, Nefka has withdrawn to its current size. But the city never fell, the Enatara were never overthrown, and the Empire was never formally disbanded. The past 120 years have been a time of economic recovery and physical rebuilding. The debt is gone, the city gleams once more, morale and manpower has returned to the army.
Demography and Population
Nefka contains 440,000 humanoids and 58,000 cats. The humanoid population is 60% Human, 15% Vesper, 5% Kobold, 15% Dryad, 2% Prism, and 3% Other.
18% of the population lives in the city of Nefka; most of the rest live in small rural villages, farmlands, and hinterlands. With a around a tenth of the population in towns or the capital, Nefka is easily the most urbanized location in The Feywilds.
Territories
Nefka is 115 miles at its widest and 110 miles at its tallest; the strangely shaped state holds around 8,800 square miles of territory. Most of this is wild hills and valleys, which the Empire must forcibly project power onto. Centuries of effort has gone into this project- networks of watchtowers, fortifications, military-operated bridges, and maintained roads allow Nefka to keep control of its holdings. Nefka's claims also extend deep into the Northern mountains, from which it draws tribute but cannot meaningfully control.
Military
The Nefkan military is made of a small professional standing army associated with the Imperial cult and royal family. The War Council is held responsible for the actions and coordination of the many smaller raiding forces operated by cults, guilds, clans and companies. These smaller raiding forces are subsidized and allowed to keep their looted profits untaxed in exchange for oaths of military service (the campaigns of which also may come with the promise of loot). This allows for the rapid mobilization of extremely large forces of raiders without having them on retainer full-time. Some foreign mercenaries also sign limited-duration contracts of service, sometimes with the promise of acting as military trainers for the Nefkan standing army. Many of these groups also contract with the Violet Company or allied kingdoms during peacetime.
Religion
In Nefka, religion is fluid. You can hold whatever Gods you please, so long as you respect the sacred and perform the state-mandated rites. Religious rituals or practices that go against state or community authority are considered witchcraft. Many Nefkans include Ishkibal and other Gods from foreign religions in their personal pantheons- these were even included in state-sponsored cult during the early empire.
The following Gods are central to state-sponsored cult (though innumerable minor cults exist):
- Tonia, Mountain Mother, Creator of Life, Protector of the Living, Keeper of Hearths, Springtime Lady
- Vitoza, The Winter Father, King of the Dead, Lord of Winter, Judge of the Fallen
- Deraksa, The Night Seer, Goddess of Vesper, oracle of oracles, Lady of Caverns and Riches, Lorekeeper of Heaven
- Erezgo, the Star Weaver, God of healing, crafts, and protection
- Kokoa, Cat Goddess of the First Moon, Lady of the Hunt, Keeper of Wild Places, Master of Memory
- Kordina, Cat Goddess of the Second moon, Lady of War, Agriculture, and Civilization
- Kordina of the Vault- an aspect of Kordina whose curiosity unleashed the Vault, essentially the Dreams and sleep of Kordina come to life
- Rumek the Dreamer, God of Magic, Kobolds, Planning, and Protector of the Sun All of these cults are involved in government and hold great sway over Nefkan politics. Together they form the Temple of Temples- the ultimate religious authority of Nefka. The Temple of Temples hands out religious positions and responsibilities, decides the calendar, and decides what is pure and what is dangerous witchcraft.
Foreign Relations
Nefka is hated by many and feared by all. Okina, Torza, Palava, Odala, and Kidon have particular hatred for Nefka. Many Feywild kingdoms have a mixed response- Nefka's trade monopoly can bring sudden surges of profit for all the Feywilds, but is usually just burdensome and exploitative. Some clans look to Nefka to mediate disputes in their own kingdoms; others resent Nefka's interference.
Agriculture & Industry
Nefka has a hand in everything- agriculture, cash crops, ranching, wool, manufacturing, alcohol production, honey, papermaking, dye production, silk, finance. Much of the manufacturing is centered around the city itself, with the rest of the country devoted to the gathering of natural resources.
Trade & Transport
The Violet Company has a monopoly over all trade and a hand in all exports. Under its watchful eye, numerous domestic and foreign trading caravans headquarter in Nefka. The massive watchtower network, large military presence, and robust road system allow for merchants to use Nefka as a safehaven. The Violet Company and associated financial guild also operate as a safehaven for goods- the elaborately defended bank vaults of Nefka are said to be the best-protected in the world. Much of this is for show, but many a thief can attest to the very real dangers of their magical and non-magical traps.
Further supporting trade are the loans, notes of credits, and stock companies supported by the Banking and Finance guilds.
Education
A significant portion of the Nefkan population is not educated or literate- most of the civilian poor have no formal education. Urban and town for-profit schools are somewhat common, and often have ties to guild and cult membership. The largest education system in Nefka is the network of government-sponsored military schools. Signing an oath of service allows for 4 years of seasonal education at these schools, the price of tuition being forgiven as long as the oath is fulfilled. As such, joining a raiding party is the greatest path to education- a great way to recruit the best and brightest of the rural poor.
Nightmares Bow to Us
Founding Date
1420ME
Type
Geopolitical, City-state
Capital
Demonym
Nefkan
Head of State
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Mixed economy
Currency
Gold Dragon, Silver Eagles, Copper Bulls
Major Exports
Nefka exports dye, silk, manufactured goods, and feywood abroad.
Major Imports
Nefka imports large amounts of metal and fine stone from the Northern mountains and food and lumber from neighboring Feywild kingdoms. Steel, precious metals, healing potions, and oil are imported from Selkie merchants; raiders and traders bring horses, food, and iron from Desmian outliers.
Legislative Body
The monarch has absolute control of the laws, though any laws contested by the Temple of Temples or Clan Moot must be approved by a vote for all legitimate members of the Enetara clan. Religious laws can be drafted by the Temple of Temples independent of the Moot and Enetara, but can be struck down.
Judicial Body
The Cult of Vitoza the Judge operate the centralized judicial bureaucracy in the urban centers. Rural justice is done by community consensus.
Official State Religion
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Notable Members
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